


Thy Willing Soul

by Yamx



Series: Those We Love the Best [5]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Cultural Differences, First Time, Multi, OT3, Threesome, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-27
Updated: 2009-09-26
Packaged: 2017-10-21 12:58:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/225431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamx/pseuds/Yamx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They are close, but how much closer should they get?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wendymr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wendymr/gifts).



> This was written for the Shadow Proclamation ([Wendymr](http://wendymr.livejournal.com/) and undisclosed parties) who won me in the _Support Stacie Auction_. Their prompt will be revealed at the end. Thanks for your generous bidding, guys!

“Jack, you just don’t understand!” Rose pushes her hair out of her face impatiently.

“No, I don’t! That’s why I’m asking!” Jack throws up his hands in frustration. 

“Can’t you just accept it?” Rose snaps.

“Not unless you explain-” Jack snaps back. 

“Jack, leave her be.” The Doctor says tiredly. He hates it when his companions fight. Especially when he agrees with them both. “No pressurin’.”

“I’m not-” Jack stops. The Doctor can see in his eyes that he’s replaying the last minute in his mind. Jack takes a deep breath and relaxes his stance with a visible effort, taking half a step back. “Sorry. I’m not trying to pressure you, Rose. I’m sorry if I got a bit worked up there.” He looks at her openly, honestly. “Really, I am. I would never want you to do anything you don’t want to.”

Rose sighs. “It’s not that I don’t want to, exactly…” She shrugs vaguely, turning away from him. The Doctor sees different emotions warring on her face: some desire, a lot of exasperation, but mostly guilt and shame.

“But that’s just it! You want to, the Doctor wants to, I want to – god, do I want to – so why can’t we?” He’s keeping his voice calm and quiet, but his eyes show turmoil. 

“It’s just… wrong.” She hunches her shoulders.

“Why? Why is it wrong to do something that would make us all happy?” His voice drops an octave. “And I swear, I could make you very happy.” Oh no. Completely the wrong move right now. 

Rose cringes visibly. “But I can’t… do it… with him sometimes and with you other times. That’d make me a…” Her voice trails off.

Jack looks completely confused. “With him sometimes and with me other times?”

The Doctor realizes that what Rose thinks they’re talking about is not what he and Jack were thinking. But how to bring up a thing like this in such a charged atmosphere? He shuffles his feet, uncomfortable. “Jack…”

“I get why you want that, but…” There’s a mixture of dejection and disgust on her face. But there’s longing, too, or is that just wishful thinking on his part? 

The Doctor knows he really should speak up, defuse the situation somehow, but all he can think is “Whatever possessed me to take two apes on board, and then go and fall for them both?” Somehow, he doubts that’d be a helpful comment at the moment. 

“But… I don’t want that.” Jack shakes his head. 

The Doctor tries to make an unobtrusive shushing motion. If Rose is this upset over what she thinks Jack’s asking, he doesn’t want to know how she’ll react once she realizes…

Now Rose looks equally confused. “Wh- but then what- you know I can’t choose you over him!” Oh, hell. Jack is gonna tell her, isn’t he? A distraction. His TARDIS for a distraction. 

“Choose? No, of course not, I’m not asking… but… Why go back and forth?” 

Too late. The Doctor squeezes his eyes shut tightly, waiting for the explosion.

“What other w-” Her jaw goes slack. “At the same time? Is that what you’re saying? You want all three of us to… _at the same time_?”

“Well – obviously! Why the he-”

The Doctor opens his mouth, about to interject, but now it’s too late. Rose explodes.

“You swine! You utter _bastard_!” She takes a few steps towards Jack, who backs towards the wall in shock. “What kind of hussy do you take me for? I thought we were friends!”

“We ar-“

“Is that how you see me? Just a bit of fluff available for all kinds of- ugh, Jack Harkness, you’re despicable!” She turns and storms out of the console room.

Jack is standing against a coral strut, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. 

The Doctor stares at the doorway where Rose just disappeared. No point trying to talk to her now. And Jack looks as if he’s had the breath knocked out of him. Which, in a way, he has. He turns to the younger man. “Well… didn’t go too well that, did it?”

Jack looks at him, his eyes hooded and dark. “What just happened?”

The Doctor sighs. “’M sorry. Saw this coming a mile away an’ was too embarrassed to say anything to stop you two.” He smiles sheepishly. “Rubbish at domestics, me.” 

Jack turns away, leaning against the strut. “Well, now that we know I’m a despicable bastard, maybe she should just choose you and I should find somewhere else to-”

“Oi! Don’t even say it.” The lad’s always so hard on himself. He walks over to him and cups his neck in one hand. “Jack, you’re not despicable. She shouldn’t have said that. But you really don’t get it. An’ you don’t even get what you’re not gettin’.”

“Yeah, I’m beginning to get that much, at least.” The rueful grin doesn’t reach his eyes. “So, care to tell me how much of an idiot I am?”

The Doctor sighs. “Aw, c’mere.” He pulls him into a hug. “You’re not an idiot. You’re a healthy fifty-first century bloke who fancies her rotten.”

“Not just her,” Jack mutters against his shoulder.

The Doctor rubs his neck but doesn’t comment. He can feel himself blush, which is silly. Of course he knows what Jack feels for him. He drops a kiss on the lad’s forehead. “Rose, on the other hand, is a _twenty_ -first century lass who fancies you – us – an’ feels like a slut for it. Did they teach you nothing about twenty-first century mores at the Academy?”

“Well, yeah, but… Guess I didn’t think it was really this bad. Not since her Majesty Queen Vic.”

The Doctor laughs. Well, Jack would have had to study many millennia of the histories of many different worlds, of course. Can’t expect him to get all the nuances. “Take it from someone who’s been there – the Victorians were simultaneously the most repressed and the most debauched Brits ever. Things _are_ a lot better by Rose’s time – but still conservative from your point of view, I s’pose. Also, our Rose hasn’t had the most cosmopolitan upbringing.” He snorts at the thought of Jackie Tyler. Harpy that she is, and as many paramours as she may have had after Pete’s death, she certainly took pains to instill in Rose what she considers “strong moral values.” 

“Conservative? Try antediluvian.” Jack looks up, grinning lopsidedly. But his eyes still show pain and confusion. “So, what do we do?”

“I’ll talk to her once she’s had a chance to calm down.”

“Good, maybe you can get her to see-”

“No, Jack, not about that.” The Doctor shakes his head determinedly. That would only turn her against him, too, and then communication would break down completely. Things have to move at Rose’s pace from now on – as agonizingly slow as that may be. “We’re neither of us opening that can of worms again. I’ll talk to her about you, an’ about respecting your views the way she wants you to respect hers.” He holds Jack’s by the shoulders and looks at him seriously. “And on _that_ note-”

“No more pressure. I swear.” He looks down. “And I’ll read up on twenty-first century society. Don’t want to hurt her by accident again.” The Doctor squeezes his shoulders affectionately. He’s a good lad. Just a bit over-eager sometimes. And in this case, he really can’t blame him.

“You do that. But if we’re gonna talk about this at all, it’s going to have to be on her terms. Else we’ll never get her to see it our way.”

“ _Our_?” Jack asks, hope in his voice. 

The Doctor sighs. Does the bloke think he’s the only one who’s been taking cold showers for weeks? “Bloody hell, Jack, it’s not like I don’t get where you’re coming from. I have urges, too, y’know?” He grins. “Just got better control over them.” Well, he can fake it, at least. 

Jack looks sheepish. “I don’t suppose there’s any way you and I could…?”

The Doctor immediately feels a puddle of warmth starting to collect in the area under his belt. He tells himself to snap out of it. Outwardly, he rolls his eyes. “Don’t tempt me. If we do that, Rose will never talk to either of us again.” No need to make the lad think he wouldn’t want to. But he has to understand that this will have to be all or nothing. 

“Right. Back to ‘just friends,’ then?”

“For now.” He lets his regret show in his eyes, but keeps his voice determined. 

“What about cuddles and kisses?”

“Jack!” Incorrigible little ape.

“What? We’ve been doing that anyway.” 

Well, true, they have. Ever since Jack came on board, they’ve danced together many a night, curled up together on the sofa more and more often, and, finally, exchanged kisses – first chaste, then less so. He honestly couldn’t tell at which point they all fell for each other. But fall they did. Hard and fast. And if it weren’t for Rose’s ridicul- no, if it weren’t for Rose’s _outdated, but very real to her_ notions – they’d have landed in bed together weeks ago. But this little scene right now has changed things. And he has to make that very clear to Jack. “That was before she called you despicable,” he reminds him, his voice sorrowful but stern. They both cringe at the mention. “Keep your hands – and lips – to yourself unless she approaches you.”

Jack’s staring at his feet. He nods.

The Doctor tips up his chin and claims Jack’s lips with his. “I’ll still be here for you. But best not rub her face in that, either.”

Jack smiles at him, looking a little less unhappy. “Aye, sir.”

He quirks an eyebrow at him warningly.

“I’ll be good.” It’s said with complete honesty. 

The Doctor nods and gives Jack another brief hug, finishing with a firm pat to Jack’s arse. That gets him a genuine grin. The Doctor grins back. “Get to work tuning the aft radiation detectors. I’ll go and talk to Rose.”

*****

The Doctor knocks on Rose’s door and waits. Rassilon, please let her not be crying. He can’t stand to see Rose cry. If she’s crying, he won’t be able to go through with what he came here to do.

“Who’s there?” She sounds pissed off. Good. Much better than tears.

“It’s me,” he says loudly.

“By yourself?”

He snorts. “Yes.”

“Come on in then.”

He opens the door and enters. Rose is sitting on her bed. She looks up at him, defiance and anger in her eyes.

“If you’re here to talk me into letting Jack apologize-”

On the offensive, then. Well, two can play that game. “Am not.” He keeps his tone neutral.

“Good. I-”

“Am here to make you apologize to him.”

“What?” She jumps up, her face full of incredulous betrayal. 

He looks at her sternly. His instinct to protect her feelings is very strong, but Jack has a right to his protection too. “He’s a good lad. A good lad who’s currently devastated because his best friend called him a despicable bastard.”

She raises her chin defiantly. “He suggested-”

“I know fully well what he suggested. You, Rose Tyler, have to realize that the Powell Estate is not the whole world. Not even your world, not to mention other worlds in other times. Where Jack comes from – an’ in many, many places and times – what he suggested is considered perfectly normal. Romantic, even.”

He can see her swallowing that thought. “But-”

“I know it’s different where you come from. But your standards aren’t everyone’s standards. You do things, too, that seem despicable to others, an’ expect them to accept that.” He indicates her tank top and tight jeans with a gesture. Not that he minds, of course, but they’ve been to worlds where those drew quite some disapproving stares, which always prompted Rose into tirades of “It’s my body and it’s my business what I do with it.”

Rose is chewing her lower lip now. He can practically see the wheels in her head turning. 

“Jack came on a bit strongly, yes. Talked to him ‘bout that. But calling him‘despicable’? Not exactly the kind of respect an’ tolerance for personal feelings you expect from him, is it?”

Rose looks at her feet. “It’s really – normal in that many places?” 

“Yes. Hell, for all we know, Jack may have grown up with three parents. Or more.” And why doesn’t he know that? The Doctor mentally chastises himself for not taking more of an interest in Jack’s background. Will have to rectify that. He often talks to Rose for hours, explaining things, making sure she’s dealing with new impressions all right, but Jack is too often just expected to keep up and follow along. Of course, he unfailingly does, but he owes the lad some more personal attention than he’s been giving him. 

“ _More_ than three?” 

“Most cultures that’d be ‘modern’ from Jack’s point of view, there’re no limits on number, species, or gender. Long as everyone’s adult, sapient, an’ in it voluntarily, nobody cares.”

He can see that sinking in. Since Rose first joined him on the TARDIS, they’ve been to many worlds where the standard relationship is not what she’s used to. But he now realizes that none of those were predominantly human worlds. So Rose apparently wrote the concept of polyamory off as “utterly alien.” Damn. Maybe he should take her to some human worlds in Jack’s time or further on. Except if he does it now, it’ll look like he’s pushing. 

The defiance is back in Rose’s eyes – but now it’s mixed with a deep unease. “That doesn’t mean that I have to…”

“’Course it doesn’t.” He’s careful to look her straight in the eyes, to leave no possibility of doubt in his tone. “There is no ‘have to’ here. Jack told you he’d never want you to do anything you don’t want, and neither would I.” He takes a step closer – almost takes her by the shoulders, but then doesn’t. It’s natural with Jack, but with Rose, it might seem too intimidating right now. “But it does mean you can’t go round callin’ Jack nasty things ‘cause of it. The lad’s eager, but he has a good heart. An’ you know it.”

Rose is blushing now, not looking at him. “Yeah, I do. Shouldn’t have said that to him.” She looks up at him. “’M sorry.”

It takes effort not to smile. But it’s not his place to forgive this. “Not me you have to say that to.” 

Rose shoulders slump, but she nods. “I’ll tell him.” She looks at him searchingly. “Is he very angry?”

“Not angry. Gutted.” No point sugar-coating this. Jack deserves for Rose to know what she’s done to him.

Rose gulps. “He in the console room?”

The Doctor nods. 

“I’ll go right now.” She hesitates. “Give us a few minutes?”

He nods. “I’ll make us some tea. Join you later.” 

*****

Rose walks towards the console room very slowly. There’s a tightly curled knot in her stomach. God, she hurt Jack, and that was awful of her. The Doctor was right to tear a strip off her. She looked at Jack’s suggestion through her own prejudices and told him off the way she would have told off Mickey had he suggested what Jack did. It didn’t even cross her mind to look at it from his perspective. She just equated threesomes with the dirty DVDs and magazines Jimmy would sometimes insist on looking at while they…

But Jack was thinking of it as an act of intimacy – of love. And unless she misses her guess very much, the Doctor sees it that way as well. It’s only her and her twenty-first century upbringing that-

But she can’t. Could never. It may be the way of other worlds, other times, but it’s not her way. She just can’t. Being in one bed with the Doctor and Jack, bodies entangled, exchanging kisses with both, hands all over her – it just seems dirty. Disgusting. 

Though...

Though now there’s heat in her stomach in addition to the knot. She mentally shakes herself and focuses on the task at hand.

Apologize to Jack. She’s always been a believer in confessing and asking forgiveness when she’s screwed up. And Jack is unlikely to make it hard on her. Still, her heart is in her mouth as she enters the control room.

*****

Jack looks up, expecting the Doctor. But it’s Rose standing in the doorway, looking at her trainers. He stops. What can he say that’s neutral but friendly? What would be too pushy? What would seem like he’s in a snit? 

He finally settles on a “Hi,” and a shy smile.

“Jack, I…” She’s still not looking at him. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

He gets up quickly, wipes off his hands on his jeans. “Of course.” He starts walking towards her, then stops. Better to give her space. 

Now she looks at him. There are tears in her eyes, but her voice doesn’t waver. “I’m sorry for what I said.”

He smiles, and oh, it’s so hard not to just sweep her up in a hug. “It’s all right. I’m sorry I upset you.”

She looks away. “My answer’s still no.”

He nods. “Your choice. I respect that.” He means it. He doesn’t understand, but it is her decision.

She looks back at him, and there’s sadness in her eyes. “Thank you.”

He smiles warmly, but stays where he is. 

The awkward moment is interrupted by the Doctor arriving with a tray full of tea and biscuits. He looks at them both searchingly. “All right?”

“Yeah,” Jack nods. “Everything’s fine.” He smiles at Rose warmly.

Rose’s smile is shaky when she smiles back. “Yeah. Fine.”

The Doctor ponders them a moment longer, then he smiles. “Fantastic. Let’s eat. Jack, help me with the cups.” 

They settle down to enjoy tea and biscuits. Jack is especially careful to avoid any touching, deliberate or accidental. It’s hard – he’s used to being physical with people he cares about. But he doesn’t want to make Rose uncomfortable. As it is, she barely looks at him. But he’s sure she’ll relax around him again as soon as she sees he’s really giving her space. 

*****


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are close, but how much closer should they get?

Three days later, Rose has become convinced that Jack will never forgive her. Ever since their fight, he’s been so distant. No more flirting, no more hugs – he always keeps several feet between them. And they barely watch films together anymore in the evenings – he usually spends them in the library, pouring over dusty volumes. Either he can’t forgive her for her harsh words, or he’s just not interested in her anymore if she won’t put out.

She’s afraid it’s the latter. In fact, she’s almost sure.

Because the Doctor’s doing it, too. Doesn’t hug her, keeps his distance, doesn’t take her hand when they’re exploring new planets.

Part of her is angry with them – she thought they meant more to each other than that. But she also understands. They want something she’s clearly said she’ll never give, and that must be frustrating for them. And they’re both still unfailingly friendly to her – explaining things, joking around, asking her where she wants to go. But the underlying distance is always there.

There’s only one thing to do, really. Only one way to be fair to them. She can’t give them herself, but as long as she’s here, they’ll deny themselves each other, too.

With a deep sigh and shaking knees, she steps into the control room. The blokes look up from whatever blinky thing they’re tinkering with. They both smile warmly, but neither makes a move towards her. Before one of them can open his mouth, say anything, before her resolve can waver, she blurts out “I want you to take me home.”

Their faces fall. The Doctor jumps up, moves towards her, then stops. “Rose…” is all he says.

She can’t look at him. God, she can’t. She doesn’t want to give up this life, the travel, the excitement, the love. Though, well, that last bit is ruined anyway. And it was the most important one.

Jack is still sitting by the console. The Doctor turns to him. There’s an unspoken question in his eyes. Jack raises his hands. “I didn’t. I swear. Not once.”

Rose has no idea what he’s talking about, but apparently the Doctor does. He nods, turning back to her. “Rose... are you sure?”

It’s the warmth in his eyes that makes the sob break through. “It’s not like I have a choice, is it?”

“Rose…” Jack comes towards her, arm extended – he almost touches her shoulder, but then he stops, takes a step back again. “Please… tell us why you think you need to leave.”

She looks at him, tries to state the facts calmly. “You’ve not forgiven me for what I said.”

“What you s- What, you mean the ‘bastard’ thing? That was days ago! Rose, we talked that over.”

“But you’re still angry.” She looks at the Doctor now. “Both of you. And you’re angry I’m being so… old-fashioned.”

The blokes exchange a glance. The Doctor speaks up first. “Rose, that’s rubbish. Why’d you think that?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? An’ I don’t blame you, I get it, really, it’s just, I can’t live like this, and it’s not fair to you, and if I leave at least you’ll have each-” Another sob strangles her voice. God, this hurts. Can’t the Doctor just get them to London and be done with it?

“Rose – if – if you really want that, of c-“

“Stop!” Jack interrupts. They both look at him. He takes a deep breath, his hands out in a placating gesture. “Wait. Let’s… let’s not rush head-first into some other cultural misunderstanding, all right? ‘Cause that’s what this is. Gotta be. Rose – why do you think I’m still angry?”

“You’re being so…well… cold. Both of you. An’ I get why, I’m not complain-” She stares at the console, unable to look at them.

“Cold?”

“Standing ten feet away, no flirting, no hugs…”

Jack bursts out laughing.

Rose looks at him, hurt in her eyes. He’s smiling, all tension gone.

“Oh, Rose. I’d sweep you up in my arms and twirl you around in a heartbeat. I just didn’t want to come on too strong again.”  
A flicker of hope, and the beginnings of a smile. “Really?”

Instead of an answer, he opens his arms, and she runs into them. He picks her up and twirls her around, finishing with a resounding peck on the cheek.

As he sets her down, she looks over at the Doctor. His arms are open wide; she steps into them and is folded up in strong leather-clad arms. “We care ’bout you, Rose. We’d never push you away for not doing somethin’ you don’t want to. Just wanted to give you space.”

She leans against his chest, listening to the reassuring double-heartbeat. “I just want everything to be the way it was. Is that all right?”

The Doctor grins manically. “’Course it is.” He gestures to Jack, and he joins them in a tight three-way hug.

“I can’t believe you thought we wouldn’t want you around unless you…” Jack’s voice trails off. “How do you say it in your time? ‘Put out’?”

Rose blushes. It now seems silly that she ever thought that of them. She should have known better. “’M sorry,” she says sheepishly, and feels the hug tighten around her.

“Next time you’re not sure ‘bout somethin’, you ask us, you hear?” The Doctor’s voice is stern, but with a teasing undertone.

She nods. “Yeah. I will.”

Jack grins. “You can ask us anything, you know?” It’s a pretty lame innuendo, but she’s missed them so much that it makes her laugh anyway.

“Anything?” she asks. They both nod, Jack more confidently than the Doctor. She suddenly remembers something the Doctor said to her three days ago, and looks at Jack curiously. “How many parents do you have?”

There’s a brief flicker of pain in Jack’s eyes, but it disappears almost instantly. “None living – but I doubt that’s what you’re asking.”

She flinches. “Oh God, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have-”

“Nah, it’s fine.” He sits on the jump seat and gestures for her to sit next to him. Puts an arm around her shoulders when she does. The Doctor leans against the console across from them, crossing his arms. “To answer your actual question, yes, I was born to three parents.”

She almost doesn’t dare to ask the next question, but he did say “anything,” and knowing Jack, he absolutely means that. “Do you mean, like, some fancy bio-engineering thing?”

He smiles. “Genetic graft. No, actually – they have that in my time, but it’s still very expensive. My parents couldn’t have afforded that. Also, they’d have had to travel to Earth or one of the big trade planets.” He squeezes her close, and she snuggles into his side. “Nah, I was made the old fashioned way. Went through all the usual genetic clean-ups before birth, of course, but my conception was done the fun way.” He leers.

“What was it like, growing up with three parents?”

“Well – I don’t remember it much, to be honest. One of my fathers died when I was only five. An accident at the spaceport.”  
Oh, no. She had no idea. And she can see from the shocked expression on the Doctor’s face that he didn’t, either.

“Was he… was it your real father?” she asks quietly.

Jack raises an eyebrow. “They were both my real fathers, Rose. That’s the point.”

She looks away. “Sorry. Didn’t mean…”

“Nah, I get that it’s strange to you. I’ve been reading up on sex and relationships in your time.” He frowns. “I’d like to ask you a few things sometime, if that’s all right.”

“Jack.” The Doctor’s voice is chiding.

“No, that’s fine. Really.” Only fair. Especially since she now realizes why Jack has been spending so much time in the library lately. God, she’s been such a cow.

“Anyway, yes, it was my biological father who died when I was little. I remember him, but only a bit.”

“I don’t remember mine at all…” She leans closer to him, and he tightens his arm around her shoulder. The Doctor hugs them both and it’s so warm, and so safe, that it makes her heart swell. She suddenly wonders if it really could ever be wrong to be in their arms.

*****

It takes her a few days to work up the nerve to ask. She’s worried they’ll laugh. But really, if they do, she deserves it. And they’ve been so great the last few days – warm, reassuring, touching her again, but still careful not to push.

“Hmm…” the Doctor considers. “What do you think, Jack? Gronia, sixty-third century?”

“They’re pretty open,” Jack nods. “Won’t think anything of us looking. Probably would let you ask questions, Rose.”

“On the other hand, maybe _too_ open. Very into public displays of affection. Might make you uncomfortable.”

Rose shrugs. “Nah, won’t bother me. Long as they don’t have sex out in the streets, I’m fine.”

Jack and the Doctor exchange a glance. “How about Priscopa Theta, four-oh-twelve?”

“Fantastic!” The Doctor sets the coordinates.

*****

It’s a beautiful planet. Lots of green, parks and lakes, bright and flowing architecture. The Doctor says it started out as Earth’s first off-planet artists’ colony, and it really shows. The whole place seems designed with a loving eye for style and detail.

There are lots of triads wandering around – and some larger family groups, too. Many with children, who’ll joyfully pick flowers, play catch, or beg one of their mothers or father to be picked up. There are quite a few same-sex triads who nevertheless have children – whether through adoption or some kind of surrogate system, Rose doesn’t know, but from what Jack said when they talked about his family, she guesses it’s to early for it to be some form of “genetic graft.”

The Doctor and Jack are walking with her silently, giving her a chance to take it all in. She wonders if the other people in the park think of them as a triad, too. Experimentally, she takes both blokes’ hands. The Doctor’s hand slips naturally into hers, as it always does. And so does Jack’s. His grip on her hand is warm and comfortable, not too tight, but firm enough to know he’s there, and paying attention to her. And no one looks at them twice.

Well, a few people do – look at Jack twice, specifically, and often a third time once they’ve passed them, to get the rear view. She giggles. “Can’t take you anywhere, can we?” she says teasingly.

Jack preens. “Can’t help it. I’m just stunning.” The Doctor growls, and Jack chuckles. “What, you disagree?”

That gets him a sarcastically raised eyebrow. “Not blind, am I? ‘M just much less impressed by your modesty.” Rose grins. She’s pretty sure there was a compliment mixed in there.

“Ah, well. If you’ve got it, flaunt it, I always say.” Jack grins smugly.

Rose looks at him, looks at the Doctor, and is struck by the thought that these two men – each beautiful, though in different ways – could be hers. That warm puddle in her stomach doesn’t have to go to waste. All that stands between her and them are the prejudices of a society that, viewed from a time-traveler’s perspective, is tiny and insignificant. Really, if she’d been born only a few decades earlier, would she have rejected Mickey because he’s black? Would she have stopped being friends with Shireen when she came out to her and told her about her relationship with Lily?

Well, yes. She probably would have. That’d have been the way she would’ve been brought up then. And she’s shown clearly lately that she lets the mores of her time trump her emotions. Even when there’s no logical reason to. That thought makes her deeply ashamed. She can feel herself blush and looks at her shoes.

“You all right?” the Doctor asks quietly.

“Yeah, just… thinking…”

“About my impressive body?” Jack asks with a wink.

She bursts out laughing. “You’re impossible.” She lets go of his hand for a moment and pokes him in the ribs.

He squirms away with a chuckle, then takes her hand again. “Seriously, though, the offer still stands. Anything you want to ask.”

She nods slowly. “So… could we… I mean… If I were to…”

She can tell that she has both their undivided attention now. But they’re both waiting, giving her time.

“Could we – go slowly?”

“Yeah.”

“Course. Slow as you want.”

Jack squeezes her hand gently. “Are you thinking of anything in particular you’d like to start w- you’d like to try sometime?”

Knowing how second-nature innuendos are for him, she really appreciates his soft approach. She can tell he’s still trying his best not to be pushy.

She looks around. They’re off in a corner of a park, near a fountain. No one’s close enough to overhear, especially with the bubbling water nearby. Still, she finds herself blushing. “Well… I thought… maybe we could just… sleep together?”

Jack frowns in confusion and she realizes how misleading that sounded. “No! Sleep! I mean, just sleep.”

She sees Jack make a heroic attempt not to look disappointed. He nods. “Of course.”

“Whatever you want, Rose,” the Doctor adds softly.

“I mean – we can snuggle, and kiss an’ stuff… just not… ummm…” She tries to think how to phrase it. “I’d want us to stay fully clothed.”

The Doctor puts an arm around her shoulders. “If that’s what you want Rose, ‘course we’ll do it.”

“Err…” Jack speaks up hesitantly.

“An’ I will let Jack borrow some pyjamas,” the Doctor continues with a grin at the younger man.

“Thank you,” Jack says meekly.

She bursts out laughing. Oh, this is so typical. She lets go of the Doctor’s hand for a moment to plant a big kiss on Jack’s cheek. “Thank you for breaking what is probably the sleeping habit of a lifetime on my account.”

He grins. “Anything for you, Rose.” It’s said with a chuckle, but his eyes are sincere.

*****

When they get back to the TARDIS – after dinner and a show on Priscopa Theta, as well as a stroll along the river – it’s late, and Rose looks tired. Jack hopes she won’t change her mind.

“Well, then…” the Doctor starts, carefully. “Would you like to try it tonight?”

“Yes,” she nods, yawning. “Don’t wanna lose my nerve.”

That is such a startlingly honest statement that both men just nod. “So… would you like us to come to your room?” Jack asks.

“My room?” There’s a certain amount of discomfort on her face, and insecurity. Jack mentally chides himself. He’d thought that’d be where she’d feel the most comfortable, but of course she’d feel like she’s giving up her territory.

“Or mine,” he adds quickly. Then he realizes what a profoundly stupid thing to say that was. His room would be the worst possible option. He tries to distract her from that idea. “Any room you want, really – we could pick one of the guest rooms, even.”

Rose looks at him, considering. “No, yours is good. I like your room.”

Damn. What now?

She looks at the Doctor. “Right, then… ummm… I’ll go shower and change. Meet your there?”

“Yeah,” the Doctor smiles warmly. He squeezes Rose’s hand. “And you can change your mind, you know?”

“Nah, it’s fine. You guys have been great, and…” She shrugs. “I’m not promising anything. I just wanna try.”

“Right. Come on then, Jack, let’s find you some pyjamas.” They part ways, Rose heading towards her room and the men to the Doctor’s.

They’re barely around the first corner when Jack grabs the Doctor’s arm. “You’ve gotta help me!” he says urgently.

The Doctor’s bemused. “What is it now?”

“My room!”

“What?” An amused snort. “You’re worried she’ll find out you didn’t make your bed this morning? TARDIS’ll take care of that. Fresh sheets, too.”

“Yeah, but what about the huge mirror above the bed?” The Doctor’s eyebrows shoot up. “Or the fact that it’s a waterbed?” The Time Lord’s going to kill him, but better that than scare off Rose. “With a vibration setting?”

The Doctor’s staring at him, speechless. He frowns. “You have corrupted my ship, Captain! I gave you a perfectly comfortable bedroom, an’ you an’ your insatiable drives-” Suddenly, the stormy expression changes to a teasing grin. Maybe the Doctor won’t kill Jack after all. “How come Rose never noticed any of this? I know she’s been in your room.”

“But not on the bed. None of it is immediately obvious from the door.”

The Doctor puts a hand on the wall and closes his eyes briefly in concentration. “Don’t worry. Your room’ll be presentable when we get there.” He cuffs Jack’s neck affectionately. “An’ there’s no reason to look like I’m gonna strangle you, either. Healthy fifty-first century bloke. Know what it’s like. Very understanding, me.” He chuckles.

Jack grins, feeling a bit sheepish.

“A mirror, though? When you’ve only been using the room by yourself? Isn’t that a bit – narcissistic, Captain?”

Jack feels himself blush. Blush! He can’t remember the last time that happened. But there’s something about the Doctor grinning at him with that sardonically raised eyebrow that makes his whole body tingle. “I just like to… look…” He trails off.

The Doctor laughs. He throws an arm around his shoulders. “I imagine I’d like that too, Captain. An’ if we both behave ourselves tonight, maybe we’ll have a chance to find out soon.”

*****

When they arrive in Jack’s bedroom, Rose is already sitting on the bed – since she seems quite calm and relaxed, the Doctor assumes that it’s not wobbling or vibrating beneath her. She’s wearing pink flannel pyjamas and matching bunny slippers.

“Bed soft enough?” Jack asks her, smiling. He looks very nice indeed in the Doctor’s navy velvet pyjamas. Though the Doctor fancies he doesn’t look too bad in his black silk, either.

Rose gapes at them for a moment, then quickly looks away. “Yeah, ‘s fine.” She lifts the covers and lies down. Jack joins her. To his credit, he lies far enough away from her so they’re not touching. The Doctor hesitates a moment. “You wanna be in the middle, or…?”

Rose considers this. “Yeah, I s’pose.”

Yep, this is not awkward at all. He stiffly sits on her other side, then lies down on top of the covers.

“You’ll be cold,” Rose says worriedly.

“Nah. Time Lord, remember?” He smiles.

“Still…”

Jack gives him a meaningful glare over Rose’s shoulder. Oh, right. With a sheepish smile, he wriggles under the covers.

It’s a good thing Jack’s bed is so wide. Because he can smell Jack’s arousal from here. And he’d bet anything that more physical proof of it is hidden under the covers – luckily, the thick duvet doesn’t show a noticeable bulge. He raises an eyebrow at Jack with a teasing smile and gets an eye-roll in return. One that clearly says “Like you’re doing any better.”

It’s true, he’s not. The only reason he’s not sporting a raging erection himself is that he can control it. But lying here, with the two people he cares about the most, smelling their arousal – _their_? He focuses for a few seconds, then feels intrusive for doing it. But yes, no doubt. Rose is almost as excited as Jack by this whole situation. He gulps. Tries to think calming thoughts. It’s all right. Just one night of lying here stiff like a board – his _body_ stiff like a board – and not a wink of sleep. He’s lived through worse.

Slowly, hesitantly, Rose puts a hand on his chest. He smiles at her to show that it’s okay. So she shifts around to make herself more comfortable – and suddenly bolts upright. “Jack!”

Damn, she must have bumped against him in just the wrong place.

Jack looks at her with a mixture of guilt and annoyance. “Oh, come on, Rose – what do you expect? I’m in bed with the two most gorgeous people I’ve ever met. Cut a guy some slack here.”

“I said nothing would happen tonight!”

“And that’s fine! I’m prepared to lie here all night with a raging hard-on and not do a damn thing about it! You would never have known if I’d seen you shift in time to roll away. But you can’t blame me for something I can’t control!” Despite his self-confident words, his cheeks are reddening.

Rose looks at him searchingly. “But isn’t that painful?”

“Huh?” Jack seems thrown by the shift in topic.

“Just lying there all night with… I mean… wouldn’t that…hurt?”

The Doctor laughs. He gets a glare from Jack and a confused glance from Rose. “Rose – when we say we’d do anything to make you feel comfortable… we mean it.”

She looks at him. Glances at the duvet over his groin. “You’re not… too?”

“Would be, except I can stop myself. Jack can’t.” He’s not going to lie to her, even if that ends this experiment right here and now.

Rose is blushing very deeply. She stares at her hands, which are folded over the duvet. The Doctor can smell that she’s just as aroused as them. And he knows her pheromones are making this oh so much harder on Jack, even if the lad doesn’t notice them consciously. Not that he'd ever point that out. “C’mon,” he says mildly. “Let’s go to sleep.”

Rose looks from him to Jack. “You’d really do this for me, wouldn’t you? Just so I feel safe?”

Jack nods, licking his lips nervously. Rose’s expression goes from embarrassed to touched, then becomes pensive. She looks back and forth between them, considering. Suddenly, she seems to come to a decision. Which one fluid motion, she takes off her top.

They both stare. Her breasts are white, full, and perfect. It takes the Doctor eighteen seconds to remember to look her in the face – and Jack’s not quite there yet.

“Rose… are you sure?” the Doctor asks quietly.

Rose nods. “What the hell. If you blokes are willing to override millions of years of evolution on my account, I can throw off a few years of ‘being brought up proper,’ right?” She grins, her tongue sticking out between her teeth. It takes all his self control not to snog her senseless right then and there.

The Doctor sees Jack’s Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallows a few times. “You mean…?”

Rose grins. “I mean.” Then she sobers. “I’ve never done anything like this before. How do we start?”

The Doctor grins. “Any way you like Rose. Absolutely any way you like.” He notices Jack struggling out of his pyjama top and follows suit. Good thought. Don’t want to make Rose feel more exposed than they are.

Rose frowns. “I’m not sure.” She stares at the Doctor’s chest, lets her gaze wander over his torso. Her pupils are widening. Then she turns and looks at Jack.

Jack leans over and kisses her – deeply, with heat and tenderness. It takes almost one hundred and twelve seconds before they break apart, but the Doctor doesn’t mind watching. Both of their faces are flushed, and their eyes are almost black. Their pheromone levels are through the roof. Jack smiles at Rose, very softly. “I could make a few suggestions if you like.”

“Hold that thought,” Rose breathes. “There’s one idea of my own I want to do first.”

She turns to the Doctor, and as he leans towards her for his own kiss – and sees Jack leaning closer in anticipation of completing the triangle – he’s entirely confident that the Captain’s suggestions will be fantastic.

*****

She wakes up curled around a warm body, and with a cool body curled around her. Blinking, she sees Jack’s face in the soft light, just inches from her own. Asleep, he looks much younger, and, touchingly, truly innocent. She can’t resist pressing a little kiss on his nose. He mumbles something incoherent and snuggles closer.

There’s an amused chuckle behind her, and she cranes her neck to look over her shoulder. “Hey there.”

“Hello.” The Doctor’s voice is soft, and his eyes shine with warmth. This feels right. The three of them here, like this, is exactly how it is supposed to be.

Soft lips caress her exposed neck, and she turns back to see Jack smiling at her. “Morning, beautiful.”

“Middle of the night, actually,” the Doctor corrects softly. “Just gone three. Sorry if I woke you two.”

She smiles and turns her head towards him again. “It’s fine. ‘M not tired anymore.”

“Me neither. Which is strange, seeing how much… exercise we got before falling asleep.” She can hear the grin in Jack’s voice, and feels herself blushing.

The Doctor presses a kiss to her forehead, and Jack’s hand is sliding up the inside of her thigh, starting at the knee and slowly approaching her groin. “No regrets?” the Doctor asks softly.

She smiles. “Well, one.”

His face instantly clouds with concern, and Jack’s hand freezes on her thigh. He’s about to pull it away, but she grabs it by the wrist and places it exactly where she wants it, indicating what she needs from him with a squeeze. His fingers immediately start that intricate dance that drove her wild so many times last night that she lost count, but she can feel that he’s listening, and the Doctor’s eyes are focused on her.

She grins, poking out her tongue. “If I hadn’t been such a prude, we could have had this weeks ago.”

She can see the Doctor suppressing a grin, and Jack, more unabashed, laughs softly into her ear. His fingers are doing clever things that take her to places where embarrassment is some far-off, foreign notion. She turns and claims his lips in a hard, demanding kiss.

His response is eager and expert. Without once losing the rhythm of what his fingers are doing, he begins kissing her thoroughly, his tongue and hand working in counterpoint. She barely has the awareness to notice the Doctor reaching over her and taking Jack’s cock in his hand, beginning stroking and teasing motions that make Jack squirm and moan into her mouth.

For a moment, she worries that while Jack is taking care of her and the Doctor is taking care of Jack, no one’s taking care of the Doctor, but then the Time Lord begins nibbling and licking her neck and she loses all capacity for rational thought. The Doctor will just have to amuse himself for the moment.

*****

When they finally make it to breakfast, it’s so late that they decide to skip it and do brunch instead. But then Rose suggests ice cream and whipped cream for the waffles, and that unleashes a chain of events that makes lunch their first meal for that day.

A late lunch.

And even thought they’re starving when they finally sit down to eat – and cuddle, and feed each other – it’s only because of the Doctor’s firm insistence that his companions finally take in some food that the whole thing doesn’t immediately get derailed into something quite different again. The Time Lord keeps saying they have all the time in the universe, but Rose insists they have weeks of lost time to make up for, and Jack sides with her. Still, with a stern frown and threats of TARDIS-wide cold showers and single beds in all rooms, the Doctor finally manages to get them to sit still and eat almost completely without fooling around. And for dessert, they show him exactly how much they appreciate his concern for their health.

It’s four days before they all decide it might be nice to land somewhere and take in the sights. But both Rose and Jack insist that it really must be some place where there will be absolutely no running required. The Doctor laughs at them. Secretly, he’s glad, but Jack’s ego is big enough without the lad knowing that.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Prompt: OT3, Nine-era. The three of them have graduated from hugs to cuddles, and from cuddles to occasional kisses. Jack and the Doctor are ready for more, but Rose has cold feet. Thinks she'd be a slut if she had sex with both of them, and as for sharing a bed with two of them at the same time... the only time Jack mentioned it, she was shocked._ >


End file.
